How does lamictal work on the brain

You should talk with your doctor if you're pregnant or trying to conceive. Data from animal studies show that Lamictal may pose a risk to the fetus, but those results haven't been observed in people. Caution is warranted, but you should discuss the issue with your doctor.

In some cases, the benefits of taking Lamictal might outweigh the potential risks. Lamictal does appear to travel through breastmilk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding while taking this medication. Caution may be warranted in these cases, and your doctor may need to adjust your Lamictal dosage.

Talk to your doctor about all medications, supplements, and vitamins that you currently take. While some drugs pose minor interaction risks, others may outright contraindicate use or prompt careful consideration as to whether the pros of treatment outweigh the cons in your case. Certain drugs may cause problems with Lamictal, like:. In some cases, your doctor may need to adjust your dosage, while in others, they may recommend another medication instead of Lamictal.

Anticonvulsants, also known as antiepileptic drugs or AEDs, are sometimes used as mood stabilizers for people with bipolar disorder. Other common anticonvulsants used in bipolar disorder treatment include:.

Lamictal is offered in a tablet form and available in a number of different formulations and strengths:. To avoid the risk of a hypersensitivity reaction, Lamictal is usually started at a lower dose and gradually increased over a period of several weeks. The target dose of Lamictal is typically mg daily, though this may vary, particularly if you're taking certain other medications. These kits provide instructions on how and when to increase dosages, and the instructions vary based on whether you are taking Lamictal alone or with other drugs.

The starter kit may be useful if you are starting Lamictal for the first time. All listed dosages are according to the drug manufacturer. Check your prescription and talk to your doctor to make sure you are taking the right dose for you. You can disperse Lamictal CD in liquid to make them easier to take. To do this, simply:. Then you should take the entire mixture don't take a partial quantity. Lamictal tablets should be swallowed whole. They can be taken with or without water or food, but if you have side effects like nausea, taking your medication with a small snack may help.

Lamictal CD can be swallowed whole, chewed, or diluted in water or fruit juice. If you chew these tablets, you may want to drink a small amount of water or diluted fruit juice to help you swallow. Lamictal ODT should be placed on your tongue and moved around in your mouth until dissolved. Lamotrigine for treatment of bipolar depression: independent meta-analysis and meta-regression of individual patient data from five randomised trials. Psychiatry 94 , 4—9. Overview of drugs used for epilepsy and seizures: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

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Drug: Lamotrigine Drug: Placebos. Not Applicable. Study Type :. Interventional Clinical Trial. Actual Enrollment :. Triple Participant, Care Provider, Investigator. Actual Study Start Date :. Actual Primary Completion Date :. Actual Study Completion Date :. Experimental: Lamotrigine Single dose of Lamotrigine mg - capsule.

Drug: Lamotrigine Active Drug Capsule. Placebo Comparator: Placebo Placebo capsule: identical appearance to experimental capsule. It is localized primarily in neurons where it may serve as an acetate donor for myelin synthesis, maintain brain fluid balance and regulate glutamate Glu metabolism. NAA is readily detected by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy MRS and is increasingly used as a marker for mitochondrial activity and neuronal integrity in many disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.

Paul E. Croarkin, D. To test their theory, the investigators enrolled 15 patients with bipolar depression and nine healthy controls who were similar in age and sex in an exploratory study. All underwent a baseline 2-D MRS scan, and 10 had a second scan after 12 weeks of open-label treatment with lamotrigine.